It's Sunday, and time to say good bye to Costa Rica. Many of my friends are already back on campus. We got up early, ready to go. One final breakfast at the cabins (rice and beans and eggs and fruit). And then it's onto to the bus for the 3 hour drive to the airport. I've been enjoying the drives. I'm listening to a really good book on tape, so it's been really pleasant to sit an listen to it. We drove past the pacific ocean and stopped so we could put our feet it. Officially on both coasts within just a few days!
When we're near the airport we stop at a Chinese restaurant of all things for lunch. I'm still a little shaky after last night, so I don't eat much. We got to the airport and hour of so before boarding. We got through the exit tax line, then get stuck at check in. We finally made it past security 20 minutes after boarding was supposed to start, but the plane ended up being delayed so it turned out fine. The first flight was fine, though on the descent we had to make a couple loops to avoid some birds. By the time taxis and lets us off our connecting flight is already making the last call for boarding. We bolt through the airport, and have to go through security again for some reason, but we make it onto the next flight. Then another flight, more books on tape and we landed in Chicago and headed home.
The trip was simply amazing. I learned so much about the natural world and so much about Central American culture. I'm incredibly grateful that I had this experience and I will cherish these memories forever.
Tuesday, March 31, 2015
Costa Rica Day 7
Our last full day in Costa Rica!
I went birding in the morning with Dr. Kanter and few other students. It was incredibly windy, so there weren't many birds out. We had breakfast at the cabins (rice and beans and eggs and cheese).
We went to MVI and got a really cute lecture from on of the original Quaker settlers in Costa Rica. He talked about the reason for the immigration and the difficult journey into the country. It was really inspiring. After the lecture, we took a walk through the forest and got to a gigantic strangling fig tree. The strangling fig is a vine that climbs up an existing tree and out competes it for light. Over time the original tree will die and rot away, leaving a hollow tree in its wake. This hollow tree is very easy to climb. It was so fun! The tree is all tangled and full of foot and hand holds. I got 20 ft or more up the tree without even noticing.
We got lunch at a local restaurant. I shared lunch with Laura and Dr. Kanter. We got a soup, and a salad, and a cheviche and a plantain chip with dip and it was all delicious and entirely too much food. We were then picked up by a van for our free afternoon activity. Some students went zip lining, some students hung out on the cabin grounds or hiked. Dr. Kanter and Laura and I went for a hike on the Suspended Bridges at a park nearby. It was very cool. We were the only ones on the trail the entire time. We got within 5 feet of a family of howler monkeys as they crossed one of the bridges. The bridges themselves were very cool. The traveled across ravines in the forest and let us get right into the canopy of the trees. The plant life here is so diverse and complicated and beautiful. I had a great time on the hike. The running joke was that it looked like a was a kid out for a hike with Mom and Dad.
On the way back we just missed the last bus so we got a taxi and rushed back to the cabins. We went to a nice restaurant for dinner. I had steak and potatoes and peppers with soursop juice. Then the group went to a Quaker compound where we were taught some square dances. It was a whole lot of fun and my partner, Kris was very enthusiastic and great to dance with.
Then most of the kids went to town for more dancing and I went back to the cabins. Partially because I was completely out of cash and partially because I wasn't feeling great. I then spent most of the night puking. Oh well.
I went birding in the morning with Dr. Kanter and few other students. It was incredibly windy, so there weren't many birds out. We had breakfast at the cabins (rice and beans and eggs and cheese).
We went to MVI and got a really cute lecture from on of the original Quaker settlers in Costa Rica. He talked about the reason for the immigration and the difficult journey into the country. It was really inspiring. After the lecture, we took a walk through the forest and got to a gigantic strangling fig tree. The strangling fig is a vine that climbs up an existing tree and out competes it for light. Over time the original tree will die and rot away, leaving a hollow tree in its wake. This hollow tree is very easy to climb. It was so fun! The tree is all tangled and full of foot and hand holds. I got 20 ft or more up the tree without even noticing.
We got lunch at a local restaurant. I shared lunch with Laura and Dr. Kanter. We got a soup, and a salad, and a cheviche and a plantain chip with dip and it was all delicious and entirely too much food. We were then picked up by a van for our free afternoon activity. Some students went zip lining, some students hung out on the cabin grounds or hiked. Dr. Kanter and Laura and I went for a hike on the Suspended Bridges at a park nearby. It was very cool. We were the only ones on the trail the entire time. We got within 5 feet of a family of howler monkeys as they crossed one of the bridges. The bridges themselves were very cool. The traveled across ravines in the forest and let us get right into the canopy of the trees. The plant life here is so diverse and complicated and beautiful. I had a great time on the hike. The running joke was that it looked like a was a kid out for a hike with Mom and Dad.
On the way back we just missed the last bus so we got a taxi and rushed back to the cabins. We went to a nice restaurant for dinner. I had steak and potatoes and peppers with soursop juice. Then the group went to a Quaker compound where we were taught some square dances. It was a whole lot of fun and my partner, Kris was very enthusiastic and great to dance with.
Then most of the kids went to town for more dancing and I went back to the cabins. Partially because I was completely out of cash and partially because I wasn't feeling great. I then spent most of the night puking. Oh well.
Costa Rica Day 6
It's Friday! The trip is almost over! I can't believe how fast it was going. We start the day at 6, which has been pretty normal for me since I've been birding so much, but was still pretty early. We went to our guide's family's dairy farm. I milked a cow. They had so many little calfs! We took a walk around the property and saw the small coffee crop they grow and learned about dairy farming practicing in the country.
Back to the cabins for breakfast (french toast, fruit). We took a walk around the cabins, which our guides own. We went to his gardens, where he grows vegetables hydroponically. We gathered carrots, and hacked down a sugar cane. We walked through the woods and had to run through a fire ant nest. We juiced the sugar cane in this interesting old press. It was hard, but a whole lot of fun. We had a little free time to hang out on the hammocks, and then lunch at the cabins.
We went on a tour of a coffee plantation. The plantation grows organic coffee. The plantation was full of fruit trees. Apparently the fruit trees will feed animals that will wander onto the plantation so they don't eat the coffee beans, which is interesting. They served us coffee and sweet corn cakes. I only drank a little of it, because coffee hurts my stomach, but it was very tasty.
We headed over to the Monteverde Institute and had a little free time. A group of us wandered to a Woman's Coop nearby where they sell locally made crafts. I got a whole bunch of chocolate to bring back as souvenirs. We received a lecture on Bats. The lecturer emphasized the importance of bats to the ecosystem and all the difficulties they face. Then we went into the forest to catch bats! It was incredibly cool. They set up mist nets around us. If a bat runs into a net, they fall into soft little pockets and need assistance to get out. It doesn't hurt them, just softly catches them. We caught a bunch of varieties. We caught two pregnant bats too! Some of the bats were very docile and agreed to being held and showed off. Some of the other one were aggressive and gnawed violently on the guides gloves. The bats weren't hurt, but they were stretched out so we could see and feel the wings and we were given a little anatomy lesson. Then the bats were released and flew right away to go catch more food.
We got dinner at the cabins, and hung out, talking on the porch for the rest of the night.
Back to the cabins for breakfast (french toast, fruit). We took a walk around the cabins, which our guides own. We went to his gardens, where he grows vegetables hydroponically. We gathered carrots, and hacked down a sugar cane. We walked through the woods and had to run through a fire ant nest. We juiced the sugar cane in this interesting old press. It was hard, but a whole lot of fun. We had a little free time to hang out on the hammocks, and then lunch at the cabins.
We went on a tour of a coffee plantation. The plantation grows organic coffee. The plantation was full of fruit trees. Apparently the fruit trees will feed animals that will wander onto the plantation so they don't eat the coffee beans, which is interesting. They served us coffee and sweet corn cakes. I only drank a little of it, because coffee hurts my stomach, but it was very tasty.
We headed over to the Monteverde Institute and had a little free time. A group of us wandered to a Woman's Coop nearby where they sell locally made crafts. I got a whole bunch of chocolate to bring back as souvenirs. We received a lecture on Bats. The lecturer emphasized the importance of bats to the ecosystem and all the difficulties they face. Then we went into the forest to catch bats! It was incredibly cool. They set up mist nets around us. If a bat runs into a net, they fall into soft little pockets and need assistance to get out. It doesn't hurt them, just softly catches them. We caught a bunch of varieties. We caught two pregnant bats too! Some of the bats were very docile and agreed to being held and showed off. Some of the other one were aggressive and gnawed violently on the guides gloves. The bats weren't hurt, but they were stretched out so we could see and feel the wings and we were given a little anatomy lesson. Then the bats were released and flew right away to go catch more food.
We got dinner at the cabins, and hung out, talking on the porch for the rest of the night.
Costa Rica Day 5
I got up early in the morning and went Birding with Dr. Kanter, a few students and a famous Costa Rican Naturalist, Mark Wainwright. He was very knowledgeable about the animals in the area. We saw Toucans, and a whole lot of Humming Birds. It was an excellent outing. We had breakfast at the cabin, pancakes and fruit.
We took the bus to the Cloud Forest, a strip of forest high in the mountains. Most of the year, the forest is completely immersed in mist. Not today though. It was bright and sunny and very pleasant the entire time. We were seperated into a group and guided around the forest with a naturalist. We stopped first in the humming bird gallery. The gallery was a little patio with a half dozen bird feeders and TONS of humming birds. The birds were really tame. As soon as they got used to our presence, they were everywhere. They even would perch on fingers to get to the sugar water. We were followed by a Coati, a raccoon like animal, which climbed a tree and drank all the sugar water out of some of the feeders. It was quite funny.
We walked through the forest. Our guide knew I was studying edible plants so she pointed out loads of species to us. We say edible ferns, and bean pods that are used in parkinson's medication, and black pepper and a whole variety of orchids. There really are a lot of orchids in this area. During the hike we also saw many birds and insects, and we got extremely close to a hawk.
We then went to the Monteverde Institute. The Monteverde Institute would be our home for the next few days. We had lunch there (chicken, beans and rice, plantains), then a lecture, a small hike around the grounds and another lecture. We had a hike into the Childrens Eternal Rainforest. The Children's Eternal Rainforest, which is terrifyingly named, is really a swatch of rainforest that was purchased using money that children from all over the world had raised. We took a night hike through the forest with a local guide. It got dark quickly and we were using flashlights to navigate. We saw a few sleeping birds, a tarantula in her home and some really scary spiders. We had dinner at the hotel. I tried to take photos of the starry sky with my camera and ended up dropping it. It wouldn't take photos correctly after that and I was very worried until I realized I had messed with the settings before taking the photo and then had forgotten to set them back. We got a beer at a local restaurant and watched a soccer game, but mostly just hungout.
.
We took the bus to the Cloud Forest, a strip of forest high in the mountains. Most of the year, the forest is completely immersed in mist. Not today though. It was bright and sunny and very pleasant the entire time. We were seperated into a group and guided around the forest with a naturalist. We stopped first in the humming bird gallery. The gallery was a little patio with a half dozen bird feeders and TONS of humming birds. The birds were really tame. As soon as they got used to our presence, they were everywhere. They even would perch on fingers to get to the sugar water. We were followed by a Coati, a raccoon like animal, which climbed a tree and drank all the sugar water out of some of the feeders. It was quite funny.
We walked through the forest. Our guide knew I was studying edible plants so she pointed out loads of species to us. We say edible ferns, and bean pods that are used in parkinson's medication, and black pepper and a whole variety of orchids. There really are a lot of orchids in this area. During the hike we also saw many birds and insects, and we got extremely close to a hawk.
We then went to the Monteverde Institute. The Monteverde Institute would be our home for the next few days. We had lunch there (chicken, beans and rice, plantains), then a lecture, a small hike around the grounds and another lecture. We had a hike into the Childrens Eternal Rainforest. The Children's Eternal Rainforest, which is terrifyingly named, is really a swatch of rainforest that was purchased using money that children from all over the world had raised. We took a night hike through the forest with a local guide. It got dark quickly and we were using flashlights to navigate. We saw a few sleeping birds, a tarantula in her home and some really scary spiders. We had dinner at the hotel. I tried to take photos of the starry sky with my camera and ended up dropping it. It wouldn't take photos correctly after that and I was very worried until I realized I had messed with the settings before taking the photo and then had forgotten to set them back. We got a beer at a local restaurant and watched a soccer game, but mostly just hungout.
.
Wednesday, March 25, 2015
Costa Rica day 4
I explored the topiaries today. I got a lot of pictures hoping to send them to my old horticulture professor who particularly likes them.
Breakfast at the hotel , then a hike up an active volcano. The hike was nice, if hot and without much canopy.
The top was very neat. Rocks were falling down the slops of the the volcano and lava was pushed out. We sat at the top of the trail and got a lecture on Costa Rican's energy consumption practices. Then we were encouraged to hike back down and explore the nature. We found a whole bunch of bizarre sounding birds, a clan of monkeys, a viper, scorpions, and a Tarzan swing.
We realized half way through the hike back that we were gonna be late. We double timed it through the rest of the half and still people were 40 minutes later than is. The we took a water taxi across the lake and then drove to the Monteverde residence. The drive was long and Scary, but very cool to watch. Then we had dinner at the hotel and it was a pretty quiet night over all.
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| Topiaries at the hotel. TRex |
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| Spider |
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| London Bridges |
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| Bird in a tree? |
Breakfast at the hotel , then a hike up an active volcano. The hike was nice, if hot and without much canopy.
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| Our Trail |
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| The volcano in the distance. |
The top was very neat. Rocks were falling down the slops of the the volcano and lava was pushed out. We sat at the top of the trail and got a lecture on Costa Rican's energy consumption practices. Then we were encouraged to hike back down and explore the nature. We found a whole bunch of bizarre sounding birds, a clan of monkeys, a viper, scorpions, and a Tarzan swing.
We realized half way through the hike back that we were gonna be late. We double timed it through the rest of the half and still people were 40 minutes later than is. The we took a water taxi across the lake and then drove to the Monteverde residence. The drive was long and Scary, but very cool to watch. Then we had dinner at the hotel and it was a pretty quiet night over all.
Costa Rica day 3
During the morning of day 3 I wandered the grounds of the hotel a bit and walked along the beach. I found sea weed for my project and two poison dart frogs. After breakfast, we took a ride to limon, a neighboring port town. we received a lecture on imports and exports of Costa Rica and got a tour of the facilities, which were interesting but also hot. We wandered the town a bit, got lunch at a fast food place, and bought souvenirs. Then it was our 6 hour bus ride to get from the coast to the central valley. I had a lot of fun. I read books, listened to books, got a whole bunch of food from a convenience store and shared it around. Costa Rica is a really pretty country and its a lot of fun to see it by bus. We eventually stopped for dinner and bathing at the baldi hot springs! The dinner, when we walked in, was a buffet with a whole bunch of food and waiters but no patrons at all! It was kinda creepy actually. The food was OK, a little fly ridden, and as we ate the dinning room filled up, so I felt better in that regards. But the springs themselves where the main act and I was excited to get on with it.
The springs were elaborate! There were a whole bunch of tiers of pools with different levels of heat. One was about bath temperature, the one above it more like a hkt tub. One had water so hot I couldn't put more than my feet in, but it had a sauna hidden away that was really cool to hang out in. The springs were designed in a Vegas manner with swim up bars and pulsating changing color lights on everything. It was a little too processed, but it was so much fun to explore. I had a blast!
All too soon it was time to head out. We froveto our next hotel at 10 or so and checked in. The hotel was filled with topiaries, it was kind of cool. But I went to bed pretty quickly after we arrived and I got a shower.
The springs were elaborate! There were a whole bunch of tiers of pools with different levels of heat. One was about bath temperature, the one above it more like a hkt tub. One had water so hot I couldn't put more than my feet in, but it had a sauna hidden away that was really cool to hang out in. The springs were designed in a Vegas manner with swim up bars and pulsating changing color lights on everything. It was a little too processed, but it was so much fun to explore. I had a blast!
All too soon it was time to head out. We froveto our next hotel at 10 or so and checked in. The hotel was filled with topiaries, it was kind of cool. But I went to bed pretty quickly after we arrived and I got a shower.
Costa rica day 2
The second actual day of the trip has arrived. I started early, catching the sun rise over the ocean with Erin. I went birding with Dr. Kanter and found so mabybedible plants! It was really exciting and productive. I'm getting a kick out of this DSLR camera I have rented from the library. Then we have breakfast at the hotel and we head off to the reserve near the hotel. I'm not feeling completely well, but as we hike I feel better. The trail is beautiful and packed with animals. We say a whole gang of monkeys, Capuchin and howlers. We saw a sloth, and sting rays and lots of birds and reptiles. We got to the beach and a bunch of monkeys got very close, within 3 ft of me, trying to get food.
Then it was time for snorkeling. And how I live snorkeling. There is very little that makes me happier than being in the water and watching this whole other world go by. The reef was dynamic and full of fish and anemones and corals. We had two swims and had peanut butter and tamirind sandwiches on the boat between stops. Some students got sea sick, but I've never had that problem much, so I had a blast. I reapplied sunscreen but I still got an angry red burn on my back, unfortunately. It always seems to happen. Should have worn my long sleeve bathing suit. The swimming ended all too quickly, and we went back to the hotel to shower. Then a group of us went to town and wandered around. I had very nice homemade ice cream and bought some soveniers and we hung out at a little resurant. The town is so cute and sleepy. We had a pizza party for dinner with pizza homade in an oven right next to us. Another sloth climbed a tree right next to where we were eating.
Once dinner was done, we went on a hunt for green eyed tree frogs and played some pool. Over all it was an amazing day.
Then it was time for snorkeling. And how I live snorkeling. There is very little that makes me happier than being in the water and watching this whole other world go by. The reef was dynamic and full of fish and anemones and corals. We had two swims and had peanut butter and tamirind sandwiches on the boat between stops. Some students got sea sick, but I've never had that problem much, so I had a blast. I reapplied sunscreen but I still got an angry red burn on my back, unfortunately. It always seems to happen. Should have worn my long sleeve bathing suit. The swimming ended all too quickly, and we went back to the hotel to shower. Then a group of us went to town and wandered around. I had very nice homemade ice cream and bought some soveniers and we hung out at a little resurant. The town is so cute and sleepy. We had a pizza party for dinner with pizza homade in an oven right next to us. Another sloth climbed a tree right next to where we were eating.
Once dinner was done, we went on a hunt for green eyed tree frogs and played some pool. Over all it was an amazing day.
Monday, March 23, 2015
Costa Rica day 1
Today is the official second day of the trip, but really the first day of the trip. We start the day with a early breakfast of eggs and fruit and rice and beans. Everything is very tastey. We drive away from the hotel and stop at a national park for a hike. The hike was very neat. The forests are so dense here! We saw a few birds, but mostly a ton of interesting plants and bugs.
We then drove to a fruit stand on the side of the road. There were so many fruits I've never seen before! I couldn't even name most of them. I had a fruit from a palm that was deliciously savory. I had an interesting purple fruit that I think was caimita that was a cool purple on the outside and a kinda passion fruit inside. There was an orange fruit filled with clear egg sac like fruits that was absolutely delicious! I had some amazing mango, and coconut and many others. I was in fruit heaven.
We then went across the street to a cool road side buffet/cafeteria kind of thing. They had a very long line of tons of different foods. I got a fish ceviche, a lengua stew, and a heart of palm salad. All of it was great.
Then more driving to get to out next location of cahuita, a sleepy sea side village. Our hotel is really cool, all the rooms are little cabins that you have to go through jungle paths to get to. The hotel has a bunch of parrots. We went to the beach and played in the waves for hours before dinner. I missed the ocean quite a bit. We had a lovely dinner provided by the hotel, then had a bonfire on the beach. Over all, QN amazing day.
We then drove to a fruit stand on the side of the road. There were so many fruits I've never seen before! I couldn't even name most of them. I had a fruit from a palm that was deliciously savory. I had an interesting purple fruit that I think was caimita that was a cool purple on the outside and a kinda passion fruit inside. There was an orange fruit filled with clear egg sac like fruits that was absolutely delicious! I had some amazing mango, and coconut and many others. I was in fruit heaven.
We then went across the street to a cool road side buffet/cafeteria kind of thing. They had a very long line of tons of different foods. I got a fish ceviche, a lengua stew, and a heart of palm salad. All of it was great.
Then more driving to get to out next location of cahuita, a sleepy sea side village. Our hotel is really cool, all the rooms are little cabins that you have to go through jungle paths to get to. The hotel has a bunch of parrots. We went to the beach and played in the waves for hours before dinner. I missed the ocean quite a bit. We had a lovely dinner provided by the hotel, then had a bonfire on the beach. Over all, QN amazing day.
Costa Rica day 0
The first day of the Costa Rica trip is spent traveling. Myself and two other students left Urbana at 2am to get to the airport in Chicago at 6. We made it with plenty of time, so that's was nice. Then it was through security and hanging out in the deserted international terminal until our plane boards.
The plane to panama was nice, with lots of inflight movies.
Then we had a short layover in panama. The panama airport was bizarre! Its like a weird cross between a high end mall and black market knock off stores in new york city. Then it was a short flight to Costa Rica. We disembark the plane, go through the maze of customs and baggage and stuff and we get to out hotel.
The hotel. Is. Cool. Its open air, the inside full of plants. There's weird catwalk things between rooms.
Its very neat. We get dinner at a restaurant near the hotel. I got amazing garlic sea bass. We go back to the hotel after, I explore the hotel a little and then conk out with a really nice deep sleep.
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| Hiba and Sharif |
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| George and Erron |
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| Dr. Kanter |
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| Elena bubbly even at 5am |
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| Kris and the long awaited danish |
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| The airport had this weird Jameson promotional booth with really comfortable couches |
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| I found the sunrise |
Then we had a short layover in panama. The panama airport was bizarre! Its like a weird cross between a high end mall and black market knock off stores in new york city. Then it was a short flight to Costa Rica. We disembark the plane, go through the maze of customs and baggage and stuff and we get to out hotel.
The hotel. Is. Cool. Its open air, the inside full of plants. There's weird catwalk things between rooms.
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| The tropical hotel |
Tuesday, March 3, 2015
Blog Entry 3: Basic Outline
This my plan for my Costa Rica project where I will be investigating the medicinal and edible plants of the region.
Before the trip, I will research plants that I can expect to find in the region. I will print out information used for identification and how to properly prepare the plants.
During the trip, I will try to find these plants in the wild. I will document the location, amount, and appearance of the plant through writing. If I can sample the plant in a sustainable manner, I will and I will note that as well. I will photograph the plants that I find. I will interview local residents about their edible plant knowledge and whether they forage for their own food and medicines.
After the trip, I will assemble what I learned into two hard cover books that I will bind myself. One portion of the books will be different plants, how to identify them, and their uses. There will be a section about local customs and a section about how foraging fits into view of environmentalism. There will also be a section on how to forage food wisely, whether in Costa Rica or right in your neighborhood
Before the trip, I will research plants that I can expect to find in the region. I will print out information used for identification and how to properly prepare the plants.
During the trip, I will try to find these plants in the wild. I will document the location, amount, and appearance of the plant through writing. If I can sample the plant in a sustainable manner, I will and I will note that as well. I will photograph the plants that I find. I will interview local residents about their edible plant knowledge and whether they forage for their own food and medicines.
After the trip, I will assemble what I learned into two hard cover books that I will bind myself. One portion of the books will be different plants, how to identify them, and their uses. There will be a section about local customs and a section about how foraging fits into view of environmentalism. There will also be a section on how to forage food wisely, whether in Costa Rica or right in your neighborhood
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